96 GTS 5817 Winterize

[Arriva2001]

Hi,
I have a question about winterizing a GTS white motor using the bilge pump and bucket method. I look at the top of the motor and the two water hoses have a little white arrow pointing in and out of the head. My though was that I should unhook the one that shows water flowing into the engine and hook the bilge pump to that one, start the motor, and start the pump...and the water will circulate through everything, come out the exhause, and be good to go.

But my question is why is the flush port on the outlet hose? I also have read some threads that talk about using that outlet flush port, and having to use a hose pincher on the end of that hose that goes toward the pump. Is that the right way? And in the manual it says to pour antifreeze in the muffler. I'm wanting to not have to do that, so that's why I'm asking about the proper way to flush with the bilge pump and antifreeze in a bucket so it goes through the full system.

Any thoughts on which way is the right way, or would both work?

 

[AKnarrowback]

Refresh my mind, which motor is that?

My standard winterize is.

1 - Put fuel stabilized in the gas and run the machine on the water to get mixed fuel/stabilizer into the carbs.

2 - Pull the main water inlet line off the pump, make sure it is pulled up high enough out of the hull to be above the motor. Put a funnel in the hose, start the machine and with the motor running pour an entire gallon of RV (pink) anti freeze into the funnel. You want to pour it in as fast as it will flow in, don't do a lite dribble, give it as much as it will take without overflowing the funnel. You should see pink antifreeze coming out of the exhaust and any other water outlet lines. After the gallon is in rev the motor a couple times like you would to clear things out on the trailer after a ride. Reconnect the water inlet hose and make sure it's clamp is snugged tight. NEVER POUR THE ANTIFREEZE IN WITHOUT THE MOTOR RUNNING. Just like a standard motor flush, have the motor running before turning on the water/antifreeze.

3 - Get some engine fogging oil in an aerosol can. Pull the top half of your air intake clamshell off. Start the motor, give it a little throttle and shoot fogging oil through the spark arrestor element until you have a fog bank surrounding the machine, 30 seconds should be good, then let off the throttle and keep spraying oil until the motor dies.

4 - Pull the battery out, keep it inside where it's warm and give it a 2 amp, 24 hour charge once a month through the winter.

5 - Cover the machine and put it outside.

When summer comes around throw the battery back in, start the machine, burn off the fogging oil and go ride.

I do this to all 4 of my DOOs every fall and they survive -50F through the winter without a problem.

This method runs antifreeze through the cylinder water jackets, exhaust manifold, pipe, muffler and just about anywhere else water flows during normal operation.

Before the first ride, in the spring, give the driveline zerk a couple shots of grease and make sure your jet pump oil is clean and full.

 

[Arriva2001]

thank you, this is very helpful. My motor is the 580 single carb. I'm going to attach a photograph. Just want to make sure I'm understanding the hose you are talking about here to disconnect. Will post one more in a moment.

 

[Arriva2001]

Is this the right one to disconnect and pour in antifreeze while it’s running?

 

[AKnarrowback]

I knew going one year past my knowledge would get me......

No, that is an outlet line to the exhaust.

On the left side of the picture there is a black tube, next to it there are two hoses going to your bilge pumps. Next to those two lines, hidden by that tube is there another larger black hose running to the exhaust.

 

[AKnarrowback]

Wow that hull is CLEAN.

 

[AKnarrowback]

That one, from the pump to the pipe.

Unhook it at the pump end and put the funnel in. The line must be tucked in on the left off the hull in your picture.

 

[Arriva2001]

Thank you for that great explanation. I found it! Thanks. That hull is clean NOW[emoji3]. A lot of simple green and elbow grease. Now off to winterizing.

 

[AKnarrowback]

I can't count the number of times, when I was a mechanic, that people would complain their machine never ran right when the inside was covered in grease/dirt/mud whatever.

All I could think was "it doesn't run right because you don't take care of it."

Keep it clean. Run it hard but take care of it. My XP spends 90% of it's run time at full throttle getting thrown around as hard as I can, but I give it a full look over after every ride and don't put it back on the water until anything out of place is fixed (except my steering nozzle) I still have to swap that one out.

 

[Arriva2001]

yeah, I agree. You gotta take care of things you want to enjoy! This one I've had now for about three years. The former owner did not care for it at all..had been sitting outside neglected with ice in the footwells, seat all rotten, and engine in unknown condition (though it had been winterized and was used the prior summer)....so it took a lot of work to get it to looking nice cosmetically, and this summer I ended up having to have a top end rebuild done to it. After getting it back from the shop, it's like a brand new machine. Love it! That's why I wanted to get the winterizing done right! I had followed the shop manual instructions in the past two years, but the hardest part was trying to get the hose disconnected from the muffler to pour antifreeze in. I like this other method better because I don't have to do that! (it's hard to reach back there).